Spoken-word poetry and the framing of fluid identities amongst Kenyan youth

Rose Oriko; Maureen Amimo; Lencer Ndede

doi:10.51867/AQSSR.2.4.18

Authors

Rose Oriko Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya Author https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9726-6709
Maureen Amimo Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2405-2887
Lencer Ndede Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51867/AQSSR.2.4.18

Keywords:

Cultural Hybridity, Fluid Identities, Kenyan Youth, Spoken-Word Poetry, Social Norms

Abstract

This article explores how spoken-word poetry in Kenya serves as a crucial medium for framing and articulating the fluid identities of Kenyan youth. Drawing upon a formalist theoretical framework, the paper examines the aesthetic and structural elements of spoken-word performances to understand how they construct meaning and voice various identity expressions. Specifically, the analysis delves into four key dimensions: cultural hybridity, social norms, political issues, and social nationalism, demonstrating how youth navigate and represent their multifarious selves through poetic form and delivery. By giving voice to subaltern experiences and confronting stereotypes, spoken-word poetry emerges as a potent artistic and socio-political tool, reflecting the dynamic interplay of cultural, social, and political influences that shape young people's experiences in contemporary Kenya. The findings reveal that Kenyan spoken-word poetry functions as both a creative and political platform through which youth assert agency, negotiate belonging, and challenge dominant discourses surrounding identity and power. The study concludes that spoken-word poetry not only redefines the contours of Kenyan youth identity but also fosters critical dialogue and social transformation by bridging art, activism, and everyday lived realities.

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